• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

Environment factors related to the distribution of organic matter in surface seawater and sediments were investigated to estimate main pollution sources and range of their influence in Gwangyang Bay. The main pollution sources for the factors that affect organic matter distribution could be divided into three main sources: fresh water runoffs from Seomjin and Dong River, Gwangyang-si domestic sewage, and Yosu Industrial Complex. Considering the characteristics in horizontal distributions of the environmental factors in water column, sediment, and water current regime, the influencing range of these main sources was likely to be divided into three areas within the bay as follows: Area I receiving lots of fresh water from Seomjin River, Area II receiving lots of domestic sewage from Gwangyang-si and fresh water of Dong River, Area III receiving lots of materials from Yosu Industrial Complex. Area I seems to be characterized as low salinity, high concentration of $NO_3-N,\;and\;SiO_2-Si$, Area II as low salinity, high concentration of $NO_3-N,\;NH_4-N,\;and\;SiO_2-Si$, and Area III as high water temperature, high concentration of $NH_4-N,\;and\;PO_4-P$ in water column, high concentration of $NH_4-N,\;PO_4-P,\;and\;SiO_2-Si$ in surface sediments.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.262-269
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• 2012

We investigated the concentration levels and evaluated the distributions of 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans(PCDD/Fs), 12 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls(DLPCBs) and 24 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediment and organism from various culturing grounds in Korean coast. The levels of PCDD/Fs, DLPCBs, and PBDEs in sediment samples ranged from 0.03 to 2.9(Mean${\pm}$SD, $1.2{\pm}0.89$) pg $WHO_{2005}$-TEQ $g^{-1}$ dry weight(dw), ND(not detected) to 1.1($0.09{\pm}0.19$) pg $WHO_{2005}$-TEQ $g^{-1}$ dw, and ND to 16.6($2.96{\pm}3.53$) ng $g^{-1}$ dw, respectively. Also, the levels of PCDD/Fs, DLPCBs, and PBDEs in culturing organisms ranged from ND to 0.24($0.07{\pm}0.06$) pg $WHO_{2005}$-TEQ $g^{-1}$ wet weight(ww), ND to 0.11($0.04{\pm}0.04$) pg $WHO_{2005}$-TEQ $g^{-1}$ ww, and 0.05 to 0.29($0.13{\pm}0.06$) ng $g^{-1}$ ww, respectively. The levels of total dioxins(PCDD/Fs+DLPCBs) and PBDEs in sediments from East and South sea were four to seven times higher than those from West sea. PCDD/Fs had dominant contribution(mean, 94%) for TEQ concentration in sediment, whereas relatively higher contribution of DLPCBs(33%) were shown in culturing organism than sediment. BDE209 was a dominant congener in both matrix. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs, DLPCBs and PBDEs were in decreasing trends in Korea coasts compared to previous results.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.845-854
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• 2009

There has been increased concern regarding the release of antibiotics to different environmental compartments due to the possibility of the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria. However, limited information is available regarding the occurrence, fate, and transport of antibiotics in Korea in both the aqueous phase and in solid phases such as sediment and soil. Therefore, this study was conducted to monitor the concentration of released antibiotics in surface water, sediment, and soil adjacent to a cattle manure composting facility in Korea. Specifically, the following six antibiotics were monitored: tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (CTC), oxytetracycline (OTC), sulfamethazine (SMT), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and sulfathiazole (STZ). To extract and quantify the antibiotics from different environmental compartments, solid phase extraction (SPE) and high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) techniques were adopted. The concentration of the six antibiotics ranged from below the detection limit (BDL) to 0.71 ${\mu}g$/L in surface water, from BDL to 27.61 ${\mu}g$/L in sediment, and from 0.12 to 157.33 ${\mu}g$/L in soil. In addition, higher concentrations of antibiotics were observed in surface water and sediment at locations closer to the composting facility indicating that composting is the source of the antibiotics found in the environment. Furthermore, higher concentrations of antibiotics were observed in the solid phase (sediment and soil) than the aqueous phase. These findings indicate that the possibility of antibiotic resistant bacteria is increased because such bacteria are more stable in the solid phase. Overall, longterm monitoring of the aqueous phase and solid phase is necessary to gain a better understanding of the impact of antibiotics from source on the environment in Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.481-490
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• 2005

Surface sediments and seawater were sampled at Masan and Haengam Bays of Korea, to evaluate contamination by sewage-derived organic matter using fecal sterols, Six stream-water samples into Masan and Haengam Bays were also sampled. Total concentrations of eight sterols (coprostanol, epichloestanol, epicoprostanol, cholesterol, cholestanol, brassicasterol, stigmasterol and $\beta-sitosterol$) were in the range of $1,274\~4,768{\mu}g/g$ dry weight in suspended particulate from the stream-water, $292\~2,244{\mu}g/g$ dry weight in suspended particulate from the seawater and $4.5\~27.2{\mu}g/g$ dry weight in the sediments. Although sterol compositions in sediments, seawater and stream-water were different, cholesterol was the predominant sterol in all samples. The proportion and concentration of coprostanol, a sewage tracer, in stream-water was much higher than those in sediment and seawater. The sterol levels including coprostanol in the sediments and seawater were higher at inner basin than at the outer bay. Some molecular indices and multivariate statistical analysis were used to assess the origin of these sterols and sewage contamination in the study area. The sterol composition patterns in stream-water were mainly associated with contamination by sewage-derived organic matters and those of seawater were associated with the activities of marine-originated organisms. Sterol levels in the sediments were both from the sewage input through stream-water and the marine- originated organisms. This survey suggests that the main source/route of sewage-derived organic matters in Masan Bay is the input of stream-water into the bay.

• Environmental Sciences Bulletin of The Korean Environmental Sciences Society
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• v.10 no.S_3
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• pp.113-119
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• 2001

Surface sediments(0~5 cm) were sampled from 22 stations in Ulsan Bay, one of the most highly industrialized regions in Korea, in November 2000. The sediment samples were analyzed for their polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAH) content using a gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer detector(GC/MSD). The total PAH concentrations in the sediments varied from 14 to 7108 ng/g dry weight with a mean value of 1052 ng/g dry weight. The level of carcinogenic PAHs ranged from 6 to 2396 ng/g dry weight with a mean value of 433 ng/g dry weight. The highest PAH concentrations in the sediments from Ulsan Bay were found at Station U8, whereas the lowest levels were observed at Stations U2 and U 17. The PAH distribution exhibited a decreasing gradient from the inner basin to the outer bay. The predominant contributors to the aromatic ring groups of the 16 PAHs were four- and five-ring groups, such as fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzor[b]fluoranthene, benzor[k]fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene, while two- and three-ring aromatics, like naphthalene, acenapthylene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene and anthracene, only exhibited a low concentration. The molecular indices for phenanthrene/anthracene and fluoranthen/pyrene were used to Identify the origin of the PAH contamination in the sediments. The results indicated that the PAH contamination in Ulsan Bay was mostly Pyrolytic in origin with a Petrogenic input adjacent to Ulsan and Jangsuengpo harbor.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.235-258
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to investigate climatological variations from the temporal and spatial surface particulate organic carbon (POC) estimates based on SeaWiFS spectral radiance, and to determine the physical mechanisms that affect the distribution of pac in the Gulf of Mexico. 7-year monthly mean values of surface pac concentration (Sept. 1997 - Dec. 2004) were estimated from Maximum Normalized Difference Carbon Index (MNDCI) algorithm using SeaWiFS data. Synchronous 7-year monthly mean values of remote sensing data (sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface wind (SSW), sea surface height anomaly (SSHA), precipitation rate (PR)) and recorded river discharge data were used to determine physical forcing factors. The spatial pattern of POC was related to one or more factors such as river runoff, wind-derived current, and stratification of the water column, the energetic Loop Current/Eddies, and buoyancy forcing. The observed seasonal change in the POC plume's response to wind speed in the western delta region resulted from seasonal changes in the upper ocean stratification. During late spring and summer, the low-density river water is heated rapidly at the surface by incoming solar radiation. This lowers the density of the fresh-water plume and increases the near-surface stratification of the water column. In the absence of significant wind forcing, the plume undergoes buoyant spreading and the sediment is maintained at the surface by the shallow pycnocline. However, when the wind speed increases substantially, wind-wave action increases vertical motion, reducing stratification, and the sediment were mixed downward rather than spreading laterally. Maximum particle concentrations over the outer shelf and the upper slope during lower runoff seasons were related to the Loop Current/eddies and buoyancy forcing. Inter-annual differences of POC concentration were related to ENSO cycles. During the El Nino events (1997-1998 and 2002-2004), the higher pac concentrations existed and were related to high runoffs in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but the opposite conditions in the western Gulf of Mexico. During La Nina conditions (1999-2001), low Poe concentration was related to normal or low river discharge, and low PM/nutrient waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but the opposite conditions in the western Gulf of Mexico.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.201-210
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• 2007

Pollution by chemical substances such as POPs, EDCs and PBTs in the ecosystem has become more complex and varied, increasing the possibility of irreversible damage to human health or the ecosystem. It is necessary to have a exposure assessment in a multi-media environment for various chemical substances is required for efficient management. This study applied MUSEM(Multi-media Simplebox-systems Environmental Model), a multimedia environmental model that can simultaneously evaluate the possibility of exposure of hundreds of chemical substances in order to efficiently manage chemical substances that can have negative impact on human health or ecological environment through environmental contamination. MUSEM executed the modeling for Japan by setting all 47 prefectures of japan as the regional area for 62 chemical substances and the rest of the territory of japan, excluding regional area, as the continental area and made the estimation of concentration among environment media in each administrative area and made the sensitivity analysis on Tokyo area. The results of simulation for chemical distribution showed that most of the target chemicals located in water region. The result of sensitivity analysis for octanol-water partition rate showed that the concentration change of soil in urban/industrial area and sediment in freshwater was high. In the case of sensitivity analysis for degradation rate showed that the concentration change of freshwater, soil in urban/industrial area, and sediment in freshwater was high.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.244-250
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• 2007

Membrane inlet mass spectrometer (MIMS) has been used to accurately quantify dissolved gases in liquid samples. In this study, the MIMS system was applied to measure dissolved methane in seawater and sediment porewater. To evaluate the accuracy of the measurement, liquid samples saturated with different methane partial pressure were prepared and the methane concentrations were quantified with the MIMS system. The measured values correspond well with the expected values calculated from solubility constants. The standard error of the measurements were $0.13{\sim}0.9%$ of the mean values. The distribution of dissolved methane concentration in seawater of the South Sea of Korea revealed that the physical parameters primarily control the methane concentration in sea water. The MIMS system was effective to resolve the small dissolved methane difference among water masses. The probe type inlet in MIMS system was proven to be effective to measure porewater methane concentration.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.40-49
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• 1999

A laboratory flume experiment, using turbulence-generating acryl tank and natural sediments, was conducted to investigate the effects of salinity, concentration of suspended sediment, turbulence and clay minerals on the flocculation and settling of fine-grained suspended sediments. While experiments were run, a sequence of water samples were taken near the bottom of the tank to analyze the variations of size distribution and relative contents of clay minerals. The results of the salinity experiment indicate that median settling velocity ($W_{50}$) increases linearly with salinity. Different settling processes of suspended sediments under variable concentrations appear to be predictable, depending upon the range of the suspension concentration. At concentrations less than 200 mg/l, $W_{50}$ is rarely varied with concentration probably because of the individual--grain settling mode. In the range of 200 to 13,000 mg/l show $W_{50}$ and concentration a good relationship following an empirical formula: $W_{50}=0.45C^{0.44}$. This relationship, however, no longer holds in concentrations exceeding 13,000 mg/l; instead, a more or less reverse one is shown. This result suggests an effect of hindered settling. The turbulence effect is somewhat different from that of concentration. Turbulence accelerates the flocculation and settling susepended sediments at low concentration (200 mg/l), whereas at high concentration turbulence breaks floes down and impedes the settling. Size distribution of suspended sediments sampled near the bottom of the tank tend to be more negatively skewed and leptokurtic in turbulent conditions compared to those in static conditions. The clay mineral analysis from the sequential water samples shows that over time the content of smectite decreases most rapidly with illite remaining concentrated in suspension. This means that smectite, among other clay minerals, plays the most effective role in the flocculation of fine-grained sediment in saline water.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.239-244
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Heavy metals contamination of soils in the vicinity of abandoned mines in South Korea has been investigated. However, PAHs contamination rarely has been studied. Both heavy metals and PAHs concentrations have been measured in this study. METHODS AND RESULTS: The samples of soil and sediment were collected from the vicinities of three abandoned coal mines and two abandoned metal mines for analysis of heavy metals contaminants and PAHs concentration from April to September 2012. After preparation of these samples following the Korean standard test method for soils, the concentrations of heavy metals contaminants and PAHs were measured using ICP-OES and GC-MS, respectively. It was observed that the concentration of Arsenic was above the concern level based on 'area 1' suggested by Korean soil conservation law, resulting that Arsenic is the main contaminant in these areas. Also Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were observed as a partial contaminants. The concentrations of other investigated components including benzo(a)pyrene were less than the concern level. CONCLUSION: The correlation observed between Arsenic (as main contaminant) and PAHs concentrations suggested that the contaminant source and pathway are different for each other. The effect of mine activity on PAHs concentration was rarely observed.